Pace Title VI Policy

• TITLE VI "STATEMENT OF POLICY"

• TÍTULO VI ‘DECLARACIÓN DE LA PÓLIZA”

• LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY POLICY STATEMENT AND AVAILABLE RESOURCES

• TITLE VI COMPLAINT PROCEDURES

TITLE VI "STATEMENT OF POLICY"

Pace, the Suburban Bus Division of the Regional Transportation Authority, was created by state law in 1983 with the passage of the Regional Transportation Authority Act.' Pace is one of three operating divisions of the RTA, responsible for providing bus and other mass transportation services throughout the suburban areas of the six-county region of Northeastern Illinois and all paratransit services in the RTA region. Pace is governed by its Board of Directors. Pursuant to the RTA Act, the Pace Board determines the level and nature of services to be provided by purchase of service agreements with private contract carriers and units of local government, and by direct service operation by Pace staff.

Pace is committed to a policy of non-discrimination in the conduct of its business, including its Title VI responsibilities - the delivery of equitable and accessible transportation services. Pace recognizes its responsibilities to the communities in which it operates and to the society it serves. It is Pace's policy to utilize its best efforts to assure that no person shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under its program of transit service delivery and related benefits.

Toward this end, it is Pace’s objective to:

A. Ensure that the level and quality of transportation service is provided without regard to race, color, or national origin;

B. Identify and address, as appropriate, disproportionately high and adverse human health and environmental effects, including social and economic effects of programs and activities on minority populations and low-income populations;

C. Promote the full and fair participation of all affected populations in transportation decision making;

D. Prevent the denial, reduction, or delay in benefits related to programs and activities that benefit minority populations or low-income populations;

E. Ensure meaningful access to programs and activities by persons with limited English proficiency.

The responsibility for carrying out Pace's commitment to this program has been delegated to the Pace Executive Director by the Board of Directors. Title VI staff is responsible for the day-to-day operations of this Program and the EEO Officer who will receive and investigate Title VI complaints which come through the complaint procedure. However, all managers, supervisors and employees share in the responsibility for making Pace's Title VI Program a success.

Additional information concerning Pace’s Title VI obligations and the complaint procedure can be found on the Pace web site www.pacebus.com or by calling (847) 228-2367

Date: _____June 26, 2007_____ _____x Original Signed_________________ Richard A. Kwasneski

Chairman, Pace Board of Directors

1 "RTA Act," 70 Illinois Compiled Statues 3615/101 et se q.

TÍTULO VI ‘DECLARACIÓN DE LA PÓLIZA”

Pace, la División de Autobuses de los Suburbios de la Autoridad Regional de Transportación (RTA por sus siglas en inglés), fue creada por la ley estatal en 1983 con la aprobación de la ‘Ley de la Autoridad Regional de Transportación.’ Pace es una de las tres divisiones de la RTA, responsable de proveer servicio de autobús y otros servicios de transportación pública a través de los suburbios y los seis-condados en la región del Noreste de Illinois y todos los servicios de paratránsito en la región de la RTA. Pace esta regido por su Junta Directiva. Siguiendo la Ley de la RTA, la Junta de Pace determina el nivel y la naturaleza de los servicio que provee de acuerdo a la compra de contratos de servicio con compañías privadas de transporte, las unidades del gobierno local, y por el servicio directo operado por el personal de Pace.

Pace esta comprometido a una política de no-discriminación en la forma en que conduce sus negocios, incluyendo su Título VI de responsabilidades – la entrega de servicios de transportación justos y accesibles. Pace reconoce sus responsabilidades con las comunidades en las opera y con la sociedad a la que sirve. Es la política de Pace el utilizar sus mejores esfuerzos para asegurarse que ninguna persona, en base a su raza, color, o nacionalidad, sea excluida, negada u objeto de discriminación por participar en este servicio, o le sean negados los beneficios bajo este programa de servicio de transportación.

Ya para terminar, es el objetivo de Pace:

A. Asegurarse que el nivel y la calidad del servicio de transportación se proporcione sin tener en cuenta la raza, color o nacionalidad.

B. Identificar y localizar, según convenga, la altamente desproporcionada y adversa salud humana y los efectos ambientales, incluyendo los efectos sociales y económicos de los programas y actividades en la población minoritaria y de bajos ingresos;

C. Promover la completa y justa participación de todas las poblaciones afectadas en la toma de decisiones acerca de la transportación:

D. Evitar la negación, reducción, o la demora de los beneficios relacionados a los programas y actividades que beneficien a la población minoritaria o de bajos ingresos;

E. Asegurar el significativo acceso a los programas y actividades para personas con habilidad limitada para el Inglés.

La responsabilidad para cumplir con el compromiso de Pace para éste programa ha sido encomendada al Director Ejecutivo de Pace por la Junta de Directores. El personal del Título VI es responsable por las operaciones diarias de este Programa y la Oficial EEO que recibirá e investigará las demandas que lleguen a través del procedimiento de demandas. Sin embargo, los gerentes, supervisores y empleados comparten la responsabilidad de hacer que el Programa Título VI de Pace sea un éxito.

Información adicional acerca de las obligaciones y el procedimiento de demandas del Título VI de Pace, pueden encontrarse en la página de Internet www.pacebus.com o llamando al (847) 228-2367.

LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY POLICY STATEMENT AND AVAILABLE RESOURCES

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000d, et seq., provides that no person shall be subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin under any program or activity that receives Federal financial assistance. Title VI and its implementing regulations require that FTA recipients take responsible steps to ensure meaningful access to the benefits, services, information, and other important portions of their programs and activities for individuals who are Limited English Proficient (LEP).

To that end, Pace provides translation and interpretation services free of charge upon request by calling (847) 228-3575. The Regional Transportation Authority’s Travel Information Center 836-7000 (from any regional area code) contracts with Certified Language international, a language translation firm, to provide translation services. The firm provides real-time translation services in 8 different languages and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week.

TITLE VI COMPLAINT PROCEDURES

Pace, the Suburban Bus Division of the Regional Transportation Authority, is committed to a policy of non-discrimination in the conduct of its business, including its Title VI responsibilities –the delivery of equitable and accessible transportation services. Pace recognizes its responsibilities to the communities in which it operates and to the society it serves. It is Pace’s policy to utilize its best efforts to assure that no person shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under its program of transit service delivery and related benefits.

If you believe that you have been excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination based on race, color or national origin under Pace’s program of transit service delivery or related benefits, you may file a complaint with the Pace EEO Officer, Colette Thomas Gordon, 550 West Algonquin Road, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005 or by telephone (847) 228-2304. Attached you will find a complaint form. We encourage you to make your complaint in writing.

All complaints will be investigated promptly. Reasonable measures will be undertaken to preserve any information that is confidential. The EEO Officer will review every complaint, and when necessary, assign a neutral party to investigate. At a minimum the investigating officer will:

Identify and review all relevant documents, practices and procedures;

Identify and interview persons with knowledge of the Title VI violation, i.e., the person making the complaint; witnesses or anyone identified by the Complainant; anyone who may have been subject to similar activity, or anyone with relevant information.

Upon completion of the investigation, the EEO Officer will complete a final report for the Executive Director with a copy to the General Counsel. If a Title VI violation is found to exist, remedial steps as appropriate and necessary will be taken immediately. The Complainant will also receive a final report together with any remedial steps. The investigation process and final report should take no longer than twenty-five (25) business days. If no violation is found and the complainant wishes to appeal the decision, he or she may appeal directly to the Executive Director of Pace, 550 West Algonquin Road, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005.

Complaints may also be filed with the Federal Transit Administration’s Office of Civil Rights, no later than 180 days after the date of the alleged discrimination, 200 West Adams Street, Suite 320, Chicago, Illinois 60606, Phone: (312) 353-3770.

The EEO Officer shall maintain a log of Title VI complaints received from this process which log shall include the date the complaint was filed; a summary of the allegations; the status of the complaint; and actions taken by Pace in response to the complaint. Should Pace receive a Title VI complaint in the form of a formal charge or lawsuit, the General Counsel shall be responsible for the investigation and maintaining a log as described herein.

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